Evaluating Yo’s Long-Term Potential

Article Last Updated: August 5, 2017 by Rob Sutter

There are certain apps which push you to ask the question, “What’s the point?”

For many, this has been the case for a particular app called Yo. It’s not hard to see why, since it was originally declined from the App Store on Apple devices because of how it seemed to lack substance. In addition, it became a program that many people either criticized or made fun of; Stephen Colbert is an example of Yo being made light of.

No one can deny that Yo, in and of itself, is a very simple program. It’s functionality is as basic as messaging programs can get: all you can do is send the word, “Yo,” to friends on your mobile device. Life Before Us, the company behind Yo, stated that it could be used in order to address individuals in many situations. With App Store descriptions like, “It’s that simple. Yo,” it’s clear that the program doesn’t take itself too seriously. With only word that can be used, though, it’s apparent that many individuals have simply written off the app as nothing but a waste of space.

Is it possible that there is more potential to be had with Yo than what it’s been given credit for?

I ask this because, according to an article on the Wall Street Journal, Yo has the potential to become big in the realm of social media. In fact, the claim was made that it could topple Twitter. To say that this is a lofty claim would be an understatement but it’s important to make note of the specifics behind Yo. For one, did you know that Yo originally received $1.5 million in funding? If this wasn’t enough, Yo was downloaded over two million times across mobile devices, which indicates that there is a certain sense of appeal associated with this app, similar to the uprising of “Flappy Bird” earlier this year. Simplicity draws in an audience.

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The main reason why Yo has the potential to become bigger than Twitter, as the WSJ article mentioned, is because of the usage of notifications. Think about just how many messages or pop ups we have become privy to, as smartphone users. Chances are that we wouldn’t be able to see all of them without notifications being enabled. It’s also worth noting that, in a future update, Yo will be given the benefit of embedded links, which means that any “Yo” will be able to market a particular brand or company. This, along with the usage of notifications, is an interesting concept and one that should have the attention of any Internet marketing company.

Is Yo simple? Without question. Will Yo be an app that fades into obscurity, never to be talked about again after some time has passed? It’s hard to say because popularity, on the digital front, is very erratic. While many brands have been able to sustain themselves over the course of times, others can be described as flashes in their own pans. Yo, if given the right amount of attention by Life Before Us, may very well have staying power that few believe it to have.

Note: This post is a guest post from a member of our DMR Insider Community.